Figure 6.

Stimulus configuration does not affect the multisensory interaction in the naïve condition. Plotted is the magnitude of ME in individual neurons as a function of the cross-modal spatial configuration presented in each of the three different conditions examined. Each circle represents a single neuron, and the diagonal line is the line of equality between the results obtained in response to spatially congruent and noncongruent stimulus configurations. A, In the normal condition a neuron responded to visual and auditory stimuli that were within their overlapping RFs (“spatial congruence”) with enhanced multisensory responses. However, when one of those stimuli was presented outside its RF (spatial disparity or “spatial noncongruence”), the same neuron's response was usually depressed, revealing the competition. B, In the naïve condition, (i.e., no visual-auditory experience) however, there was no relationship between a neuron's multisensory response and the spatial configuration of the visual and auditory stimuli. Both congruent and noncongruent configurations resulted in similar degrees of competition as indicated by most circles clustering around the line of equality. C, Instantiation of the normal condition was achieved with the cross-modal training program.